The Day Yusuke Urameshi Disappeared
by Psychos-Anonymous
Summary: One day something terrible happens and Yusuke Urameshi disappears without a trace. Months later he returns and tells his story. A story of friendship, loss, and adventure unlike any he had ever experienced.
1. Disappearing

P.A.: A whole new story... again.

Ceke: You have what? Five stories you're working on?

P.A.: Yes...

Cean: Well you should be working on THOSE!

P.A.: But this one is too cute to resist writing!

Ceke: ONWARD!

Disclaimer: I do not own YYH but I do own every single one of my characters YOU CAN'T HAVE THEM! –glomps her characters possessively-

"_Blah" _Yusuke voice over.

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It was a very dark night, the night that Yusuke Urameshi disappeared. Thunder roared, the lighting flashed, and the rain poured down from the heavens in icy rage.

No one was out on the waterlogged streets, taking shelter in the comfort of their homes. This is what drove Yusuke to leave the park that day. He had met Kuwabara there that afternoon and they spoke about simple things, how Keiko was doing, when Kuwabara was going to ask Yukina to marry him, the new video game at the arcade.... Completely normal.

But then Yusuke Urameshi disappeared.

No one heard from him for months. No one knew where he went. It was like he dropped off the face of the planet.

That is, until he returned.

Kurama, the ever calm, ever collected fox spirit, nearly died of shock, seeing Yusuke appear on his doorstep. It was as if he had never disappeared. His hair wasn't slicked back as usual but his eyes still held that cocky attitude they all knew. But there was something different about him. Some underlying air of mystery Kurama had never felt before from the boy.

And here is where I relinquish my narrative to present time.

"Hey, Kurama. How's it going?" Yusuke asked, shifting the small pouch over his shoulder.

Kurama smiled wryly, ignoring his misty eyes. Even so long since they had last spoken he still acted like the same old Yusuke. "Yusuke... you..."

"Hey there, fox boy!" Yusuke cried in alarm, holding up his hands. "Don't go crying on me."

"I-I'm sorry..." Kurama whispered, wiping his eyes quickly and stepping aside. "Please come in...."

Yusuke nodded his thanks, slipping off his shoes and entering the apartment that Kurama bought after he graduated from high school. "You seem to be doing well."

"Yes... " Kurama answered, closing the door softly and watching the boy walk around the spacious apartment. He acts like nothing happened, the fox thought to himself. He acts as if Keiko were...

"So it is true."

Both men in the apartment turned to the open window. Standing in front of it was the fire wielder, Hiei. He still wore his black outfit and headband, though he had grown a few inches taller. He was staring at Yusuke in something close to barely hidden shock.

"Hiei! You came to see me!" Yusuke yelled, throwing his hands up in a childish expression of joy. "And you're not short!"

"Hn." The demon grunted, looking away from him. He looked so much like the Yusuke he fought along side with that long time ago. How long has it been since he's seen that goofy grin? Two months? Three months? Could it have possibly been more?

"URAMESHI!" A voice screeched.

Everyone's heads snapped around to the closed door, eyes wide as saucers. Kurama opened the door quickly as Kuwabara came in, panting heavily, giving away that he had run the whole way here.

"Yo, Kuwabara." Yusuke said with a wave, still a little shocked at the sudden appearance of the red haired man.

"Urameshi! You're really here! I thought my spirit sense was going nuts when I felt you here..."

Yusuke chuckled and rubbed the back of his head smiling. "Yeah. I guess it IS a little shocking to see _me _of all people here."

Urameshi. THE Urameshi was there in the room. Kuwabara could barely believe it. Yusuke had been gone so long and he never contacted them. Why now of all times did he decide to come back?

"W-Where did you go?! Koenma was looking all over for you, man." Kuwabara chided, laughing nervously.

"Well yeah... I guess I did skip out at a rather bad time..." The former detective muttered, getting a distant look in his eyes.

"I'll go make some tea." Kurama suggested immediately, cutting the uneasy silence off before it could begin, bustling to the kitchen to prepare it.

Soon they were all sitting in the room, laughing over steaming cups like the old days. Yusuke was asking all about their lives since he'd been away, glad that nothing too much had changed. He laughed out loud when he found out Kuwabara was engaged to Yukina, much to Hiei's annoyance.

"Wow..." Yusuke breathed, after he stopped laughing. "I can't believe it...."

"Yusuke..." Kurama said slowly, looking at the others. No one else seemed to be asking what was on all their minds. "Just... where exactly did you go?"

Yusuke went silent, turning his head to look out the window. The sky was so blue, he mused silently, sipping his tea. It was so much unlike that night. He wondered if _he _was enjoying that sky just like he was.

"Yusuke....?" The fox asked hesitantly.

"I guess you won't give up until you guys know, huh?" Yusuke asked in amusement, turning his sad, chocolate orbs to them again. "Well... What can I do but start at the beginning."

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"What a great day..." Yusuke murmured to the quiet park, grinning over at Kuwabara.

"Yeah. Looks like rain though." The other man said, looking up at the dark, overcast skies. "Smells like it too."

"_Smells_?" The detective asked incredulously.

"Yes, _smells_!" Kuwabara growled. "Anyway I should start heading to Genkai's place. Maybe I can visit Yukina and get home before it rains!" He added dreamily, sighing like an enamored schoolgirl. Which, in Yusuke's opinion, he was.

Yusuke chuckled at the thought of Kuwabara in a sailor girl outfit, earning him an indigent look from his friend.

"Well you have to go home to Keiko anyway, Urameshi!" The human growled, huffing.

"Oh shit! What time is it, Kuwabara?" Yusuke cried in alarm.

Kuwabara blinked at his friend's sudden urgency and looked at his watch. "It's almost half past seven. Why?" He looked up to see his friend running away down the street. "HEY! Where are you going?!"

"_I think that was the last time Kuwabara saw me before I left. I was always hoping he didn't think it was somehow his fault. I remember the reason I was running back to the house I shared with Keiko was because I had promise her I would go shopping with her at five that evening. I used to wish that I had never gone back."_

Yusuke chuckled to himself as he stood outside his house. What was he going to tell Keiko? He hoped that she had gone without him but he knew she wouldn't. Keiko would be sitting in the armchair right across from the front door, fingers laced with her chin resting upon them, glaring at him in anger, just like always. She would yell at him for missing their date again _before _going out on the prearranged date, dragging him along by the scruff of his neck.

"Hey, Keiko! I'm sorry I'm late! Botan called and..." Yusuke stopped, the excuse dying on his lips.

Keiko wasn't in the armchair. He walked into the silent house, looking around in confusion, scratching his head. Maybe she went without him after all, he reasoned, going to the kitchen in hopes of finding a note on the table explaining why she wasn't there. When he didn't find one he became worried. Where was she?

"_I told myself she was be fine. I halfway believed it at one point."_

Yusuke walked out of the kitchen, calling out his fiancée's name. He paused when he heard a sound. The shower was on. He sighed in relief. She had only gotten into the shower and hadn't heard him come home. He walked down the small hallway to the their closed bedroom door, turning the knob. If Keiko was in the shower, maybe he could join her, he thought in amusement.

"Ha! Like she'd ever let me do tha-" Yusuke's joke was cut off when the door swung open.

The room was a wreck. It looked as if a hurricane slammed into it, twice. Furniture was overturned and smashed and Keiko's jewelry box was shattered on the floor, it's contents spread out in a glistening wave. The bathroom door was open and he could see the running shower. It was empty. But Yusuke took no great notice of these things. His eyes were on the bed.

He had found Keiko.

She was lying haphazardly on the bed, as if she was thrown there. Her hands were clasped together, bound by a tight black cord. He could see her bathrobe beneath her, wide open. Yusuke briefly looked down and gagged, slamming backwards into the dresser, knocking the contents that remained to the floor. Blood pooled between her legs, giving Yusuke a clear picture of what happened. His eyes slowly slid up to her face, her beautiful face that he had come to love.

Her face was grotesquely discolored, her skin a pasty blue. Her swollen tongue lolled out of her mouth, which was still open from her last attempts to breathe. Her glassy, dead eyes stared back at him in an otherworldly accusation against him.

"_I heard thunder right then. I didn't hear it as that. I heard it as my heart breaking." _

Yusuke didn't remember how he got outside. He just had to get out of there. He needed to get out of that house.

The rain bit into his skin as he flew out the door, falling to his knees in the front yard. He doubled over in gags, emptying the contents of his stomach onto the damp grass as the rain only fell harder. Even after his stomach was empty, he continued to dry heave with broken sobs.

Keiko, his Keiko, was dead.

But Keiko was fine this morning... She yelled at him for sleeping in past the time he was supposed to meet Kuwabara and smiled that smile she always did when he apologized. She reminded him of their date and told him not to be late even though she knew he would be anyways.

How could someone do this? She had never done anything wrong to anybody. She was going to be a wife and make Yusuke happy. And someone... someone... did _that _to her.

If only he had been there to protect her. Maybe... Maybe if he had come home on time he could have done that. But no. He had stayed out late again, leaving her home alone and defenseless. Overwhelming guilt surged up and made a lump in his throat. He had failed her. He had failed to protect her like he promised. He let her die.

What good was he? How could he ever continue saving the whole world when he couldn't even save his own wife? It hit him hard. He was a complete failure. In every single way he had failed.

He looked up sadly and blinked. He was at the park. He vaguely wondered when he had moved but continued walking. Who cared where he was now? The rain had soaked through his clothes already, chilling him to the bone.

"_I had hoped that I would freeze to death then. Better dead than causing death."_

He gave a startled cry as he tripped on a stone, falling face first into the muddy ground. Yusuke made no move to lift himself. He hoped he could die here, with no one to see him. He knew he was being a coward but... maybe if he died... he could apologize to Keiko.

Then the rain stopped.

"_Why did the rain stop I asked myself. I was so close."_

Yusuke looked up and blinked at the big brown eyes staring down at him in concern. They were so warm.... so kind. "Keiko...?" Yusuke asked weakly. The brown eyes turned confused and Yusuke's vision started to blacken, and then disappeared. "No...."

"Don't worry.... I'll take care of you."

_"I didn't know it then, but this meeting... One that would later be called a meeting preordained by powers beyond our control... It would be the spark to ignite something so amazing that I would disappear to experience it."_

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P.A.: Wow... That is one weird fanfiction. This will have more chapters and no romance... for once.

Ceke: You killed off Keiko!

P.A.: For development of plot. I thought about just having her dump him but I needed something bigger.

Ceke: What are the brown eyes?

P.A.: That's next chapter.

Ceke: Booo.

P.A.: R&R please! I think I'll work on the fics I'm supposed to be working on now!


	2. Insane Doctors

P.A.: Hehe I think I'll do one or two more chaps of this before going back to the other ones.

Disclaimer: I don't own YYH but I do own every one of my characters.

AN: There will be no more time in the present. The rest of the story is the events in the past as follows. Yusuke will still add a voiceover here and there but that's all.

"_Blah" _Yusuke voiceover

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When Yusuke woke up he could only see white. Must be heaven, he thought. Then he wondered how someone like him ever got into heaven. But if he was dead then where were all the ogres and Keonma, he thought, mentally shrugging.

He tried to sit up and winced as his body protested horribly. His back ached and he felt like a hundred pounds were pressed in on his head. He groaned pathetically and closed his eyes. If this was what it was like to be dead then he wanted his life back... again.

"X to the... fifth power..."

Yusuke jumped nearly five feet in the air when that mumble reach his ears. This didn't do anything to explain the source but it did make the dull throbbing more like millions of nails boring into his head. Smooth Yusuke. Real smooth.

Yusuke carefully opened his eyes and was greeted by a very plain, very white ceiling. He sat up and looked around, the only thought in his head being where he was. The room was fairly large with a plain dresser and desk on the other side. He looked at his beside and blinked. Then he blinked again.

There was a bedside table with a lamp, both as boring as the other things in his room but that wasn't what was strange. There was a hand on the table, writing away furiously. The detective had no idea _what_ was being written since it looked something like calculus or some other math that involved too much work for him to care. He followed the arm attached to the hand and blinked.

At the end of the arm was a man. This man had snowy white hair that was slightly messy. It reached all the way down to his waist. Yusuke bent forward a bit to peek at the man's face. It was slightly obscured by his bangs but was very handsome behind slightly askew wire rim glasses. As Yusuke absentmindedly fixed them he realized the man didn't look like he was past the age of twenty-four. But this wasn't the most shocking thing.

The man was _asleep_! He was doing calculus in his sleep! What kind of freak was this guy?

"Mmm... New page..." The man muttered in his sleep again, flipping over the page to the blank side, writing away again.

Yusuke sweatdropped and flopped over in shock at the man's bizarre sleeping habits. Unfortunately this jolted the bed and the man shot up and blinked his wide, brown eyes.

"The square root of..." He blinked again and realized he was awake. "Oh... Oh dear I must have gone to sleep..." His eyes fell on the papers he had been writing complex formulas on. "Yes. It seems so..."

"Do you always write math in your sleep...?" Yusuke asked hesitantly, not wanting to startle this obviously insane man.

The man looked at him in shock before it melted into a relieved smile. "No. Sometimes it's the table of elements... How are you feeling?"

"_A question as simple as that from a guy I've never known... It made so many things fly into my head at once."_

How _was_ he feeling, Yusuke asked himself. Physically he felt like hell. He realized he was freezing and he wrapped his arms around himself. He must have gotten sick running out in the rain last night he reasoned with himself. He jumped as he felt someone slide a blanket around his shoulders. He looked up into the concerned eyes of the mystery man.

"You have a slight fever... Nothing I can't fix though. Just stay here and I'll go make you some tea." He murmured softly, as if to himself rather than the detective in bed.

"Thank you..." Yusuke muttered in return, watching the other hurry from the room, completely forgetting the papers littering the table.

The sick boy smiled softly and rested his head in his hands. He felt like an idiot now. That man, whoever he was, was the one who had dragged him from the rain. Those brown eyes... There was no mistaking them. They were just like the ones he saw. They were so innocent yet wise, old and still so childish... And he mistook him for Keiko.

Keiko... The name echoed throughout the recesses of his mind. Keiko was gone now. She was... Dead. Yusuke brought his knees to his chest and laid his forehead against them. The memories came unbidden and like a hurricane.

Her smiling at him the day he came back to life was one of the times she ever truly smiled at him. She had been so happy that she had even hugged him willingly, something she would have never done any other time. You never miss someone until they are gone forever and that was proven to him that day in her shining eyes.

She always scolded him for skipping school and causing trouble, but she never was truly mad. Yes she had been mad when he flipped her skirt but who wouldn't have been? She was always smiling in amusement with her eyes at his antics, knowing one day that he would grow out of the childish pranks and skipping school. She had been right.

"Whoever took her away from me will pay." Yusuke growled, clenching his fists. He would just tell this guy that he needed to get home to his house and then track down the bastard that dare lay a hand on his Keiko.

He swung his legs out of bed and stood unsteadily. He then realized that he wasn't wearing the clothes he passed out in. Well first he'd get his old clothes back and then he'd leave, he reasoned. He padded his way out of the room and into a long hallway. He could hear the low hum of voices to his left and went that way. Quickly locating the stairs, he descended into a large foyer and looked around. There were a ton of paintings around here, all by the same guy Yusuke absently noticed. Must be an art fan.

Yusuke followed the ever-loudening voices to what seemed to be a kitchen. He walked in quietly and blinked. The man was leaning against a counter, watching the news on the TV intently as he waited for the kettle to boil. He had messily tied his hair back so Yusuke could see the interested look on his face. It was then that Yusuke heard what was on the news that was so interesting.

"...has been caught today around four o'clock this morning. He was found in a Tokyo airport about to flee the country. Officials say that he was attempting to flee the country to avoid being caught after recent forensic evidence made him the suspect in the recent murders of several young women. Keiko Yukimura, the latest victim, had a fiancée that was a suspect until a friend of his provided a solid alibi. Yusuke Urameshi is still missing and it is questioned that he even knows about his wife's untimely death." _Click_.

The TV went blank and snapped Yusuke out of his shocked state. He then realized that the man who saved him was staring at him.

"So, Yusuke. When were you going to tell me about this?" He asked calmly, as if asking how today's weather was.

"H-How...?"

"It wasn't hard to put two and two together, especially when you called me Keiko last night."

Something snapped inside Yusuke. He stormed over to the man who still looked back at him with those eyes as placid as the summer sky. "What do you mean 'Why didn't I tell you'!" He roared, glaring down at the being that still leaned against the counter. "It's none of your business what I tell you about my life and especially about Keiko! I thank you for taking me in last night and everything but just who the hell do you think you are!"

"I'm Dr. Kenkou Shiozu. I'm a scientist."

The kettle whistled loudly, causing Yusuke to jump horribly. Kenkou stood up straight and pulled the steaming teapot off the stove and resumed his preparation of the tea. Yusuke sat in a nearby chair next to the table and watched him. This guy was so arrogant, thinking he knew everything that was going on...

"You can't do anything you know."

"Huh? What?" Yusuke asked in confusion. What was this weirdo talking about now?

"I mean with the murderer." Kenkou said, setting a cup of tea in front of the detective, nursing his own cup in his hands.

Yusuke felt his blood boil again. "What are you talking about? I'm going find that bastard and ki-"

"Kill him right?" Kenkou snapped harshly, cutting him off. "What will that amount to, Yusuke? A short, sweet revenge followed by hard time in prison? Is that really what you want to do?" He turned his blazing eyes on the startled boy and locked gazes. "You can do nothing now."

Yusuke held the man's level stare. The man who before was so calm and serene, though a tad bit dopey, was trying to stare him down. What really got under Yusuke's skin was that he was nearly succeeding. His eyes were so much deeper than they were before, almost like what they looked like last night when they found their stare on him in the park. They were eyes much older than this person who stood before him. They reminded him of a demon's eyes...

The shrill ring of a phone broke through his reverie and he found himself watching the doctor pull the phone angrily off the wall.

"What?" He snapped, leaning against a counter and sipping his tea. He paused, the cup still pressed against his lips and smiled. "Kodoku! Good to hear from you." He turned completely away from Yusuke, which only irritated him more. Great. Now he was being completely ignored and forgotten.

"Uh-huh... Really? Oh that's so great!... Eight months eh? Sure I guess I can make a run over... I have nothing else... Tests? No I have none. No, no I can pay for myself. Bye." And he hung up.

"Are you done ignoring me yet, asshole!" Yusuke yelled.

"I'm sorry, Yusuke, but I can't argue with you anymore!" The doctor cried happily, drinking down the rest of his tea. "I have a house call to make."

Yusuke sputtered as the doctor left the room, following quickly. "You mean you're leaving!"

"Well of course!" Came the ecstatic reply. "House calls _must _be answered."

Yusuke quickly climbed the stairs and followed the voice to another room. The room was filled with books and scientific gear, obviously Kenkou's room. Said doctor was currently packing a suitcase.

"But what about me!" Yusuke found himself saying, gesturing to himself.

It was at this that Kenkou actually paused. He looked over at the detective and lowered the shirt he was holding. "What about you indeed... Yusuke, first drink your tea."

Yusuke blinked and realized he was still holding the teacup the deranged scientist gave to him. He shrugged and took a sip, sighing at the warm serene feeling that washed over him. Normally he would be disgusted by tea but this stuff was _good_. He started to feel calmer and think just a bit clearer as he took another sip. "Wow... What kind of tea is this?"

"A Wicca friend of mine gave it to me. Really good huh? Anyway!" The doctor said quickly, snapping his suitcase closed. "Thinking straight? Good." He said, not allowing the detective any word in edgewise. "You said you wanted to know what you should do now. Really want my opinion?"

"Well... You'd probably give it to me anyway. You've been doing that a lot this morning." Yusuke said, drinking more of his tea.

"Actually it's five in the evening." Kenkou corrected, blinking as the other choked on his tea. "Well... You did have a trying night. I had in truth expected you to sleep until tomorrow." Yusuke coughed a bit and waved the other on to continue and the doctor was more than happy to oblige. "Anyway I think you need to take one of those trips of reprieve."

"Wait a minute, wait a minute!" Yusuke cried, staring dumbstruck at the chipper individual who had put up with him. "Are you saying I should go on vacation? My wife just died, you dumba-"

"Exactly. Your life is spinning out of control, Yusuke. You should take control of it now before you lose track of where you are in it. Take a vacation for a while. Get out of this city. You have to avoid the rumors of her death and the awful lies that will spread about you as well. Go to a place with no memories and remember the ones that are true to you and you alone. Also, a new place means new memories that have to be happier than your one of last night."

Yusuke stared wide-eyed at the man he had only known for a good thirty minutes. His words had been so deep and true that Yusuke could do nothing but believe them. This Dr. Kenkou Shiozu was a brilliant man.

"Do you think that I should take the red shirt or the blue one with swirly things on it?"

Never mind.

Yusuke sweatdropped as the man held up both shirts and eyed them critically. "The red one..."

"Yeah. I think the red one is better to." He smiled childishly and packed it. "So what do you think of my suggestion?"

"Well... It makes sense... But where would I go?" The boy asked quietly, pondering to himself where he could afford to go.

"How about with me on my house call? I'll pay for your expenses and everything." The doctor suggested, surprising the other greatly.

"On your house call...? Thanks for the offer but didn't you say I should get out of the city?" Yusuke asked incredulously.

"I know what I said, Yusuke. Oh wait. I didn't tell you where my house call was... Silly me!" Kenkou chirped, scratching his head. "You sure I shouldn't take the blue shirt...?"

"Yes, Kenkou..." Yusuke said, grinning. "Where is your house call?"

"Beijing."

Yusuke blinked and remained silent for a few moments. He was expecting for Kenkou to laugh and tell him he was joking and that the house call was on the other side of town. Instead, the doctor resumed packing. "Wait... Repeat that again."

"Well in actuality... Flying into Beijing. Then we have about an hour or so drive to the house."

"You're making a house call... In China?" The detective screamed at the doctor, who held up that infuriating blue shirt as a small barrier between them. "And would you get rid of that shirt!"

Kenkou smiled meekly and set the shirt aside. "Well... They wanted a doctor they could really trust and well... They want me there anyways since I couldn't visit last month for reasons beyond my control and they're really good friends! I'm always willing to go anywhere for my frie-"

"Ok! I get that!" Yusuke said, holding up his hands to halt the tirade of words pouring from the doctor's mouth like a broken faucet. "I can't go with you anyway because there's no way I can afford to go to China this minute."

"Well didn't you hear me? I told you I'd pay expenses." Kenkou reminded cheerfully.

"But..." Yusuke muttered lamely. There was a guy here, offering him a completely free vacation, and he was hesitating to accept. What was wrong with him?

"If you don't want to leave I can understand." Kenkou continued reassuringly as if he hadn't heard the detective. "I mean it's kind of weird going on vacation with a complete stranger and also leaving everything quickly..."

Yes. Kenkou _was_ a complete stranger. He was a complete stranger that had taken him in out of a storm without hesitation. Well, Yusuke guessed it was without hesitation. But if Kenkou could make such a decision and alter his life in a split second why couldn't he?

"Yusuke? Are you listening to me?"

Well this was Kenkou we were talking about. This doctor didn't seem to be very strong. He was so frail it looked like if you hit him he'd crumble into pieces. What could he do to hurt Yusuke?

"Yusuke? Yusuke!" He was once again pulled out of his thoughts by an irritated doctor glaring at him. "Are you going to come with me or not?"

Yusuke sighed and smiled a bit. "You know what? I think I will..."

"_And so I signed away my fate to this man, Dr. Kenkou Shiozu. I would embark on a journey with him, which I was sure would end soon. I would soon learn that not every trip had to end when it was completed."_

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P.A.: Weee... e.o

Ceke: Your almost to Christmas break. Suck it up.

P.A.: Waaaaahhhh ;-; I've been working so hard on everything.

Cean: She's had a lot of schoolwork lately and she's been trying to write as well. Forgive her.

Ceke: R&R!


	3. China, Part One

P.A.: This chapter took forever. x.x I need to become more productive with my posted stories and not the stories I haven't posted yet.

Disclaimer: I don't own YYH. I own all my characters though.

AN: This chapter is dedicated to my good friend Yume, renegadekitsune. It was her birthday and this is her present! Happy Birthday, Yume!

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"_Kenkou decided to postpone our departure until the next afternoon, telling me he had to acquire a passport for me. I didn't know how he was going to get one for me under such short notice, especially with the police looking for me, but I was more concerned with...other things."_

Yusuke frowned as he stared up at the plain white ceiling he had become extremely familiar with over the past few hours. He was confused. It didn't make sense why a complete stranger would be offering all this to him. A place to stay, clothing, food, and an international vacation... It was too good to be true...

That had to be it. Kenkou wanted something from him. Yusuke furrowed his brow in thought. What did he have to offer? He didn't have a lot of money and nothing of great value in his house. All he had was the clothes on his back at the moment...and himself... He hoped Kenkou wouldn't want him for any weird experiments... He had after all said he was a scientist...

At that moment, Kenkou entered and walked to the bedside, seemingly not noticing Yusuke's eyes on him. The doctor hummed softly as he picked up the remaining calculus papers that the detective had forgotten about completely. Finally, Yusuke couldn't contain his curiosity any longer.

"What do you want?"

The look of surprise on Kenkou's face was priceless and Yusuke would have laughed if he had it in his heart to do so. At the moment his heart felt like it had been put up against a firing wall but he forced those feelings to the side.

"I was just coming to get these papers!" Kenkou cheerfully replied. "I'm not sure what they mean but they must be important somehow so I just thought I'd put them in my bag and-"

"I meant, what do you want from _me_, Kenkou?" Yusuke quietly amended, cutting off another flood of words and watching the doctor's face morph from perky to somber. Silence stretched between them and Yusuke thought the other was just going to leave without answering until he actually did.

"I want you to go to sleep, Yusuke." Without another word he walked out of the room.

Yusuke felt he could do nothing but oblige.

_"The next day he was a cheerful as ever, presenting me with the proper papers to leave the country. I didn't ask him any more questions and simply allowed him to pack a small bag for the plane and take me to the airport. That's how I found myself sitting in first class aboard the biggest plane I've ever seen, wondering once more if it was a good idea to be doing what I was."  
__  
_Yusuke looked over at the doctor from the corner of his eyes. Kenkou sat next to the window writing in a small leather-bound book he had brought along, not taking his eyes from the pages even as the plane started up.

A trip to China with a stranger and not telling anyone he was leaving. Kenkou had insisted that Yusuke keep it a secret because of his friends. His friends would have tried to stop him and ask him what happened. Yusuke didn't want that to happen. He just wanted to go with Kenkou. He wanted to go away.

Kenkou was his freedom, he realized. The doctor was his escape from reality. An escape into a completely unknown world. Yusuke wanted that. He wanted the thrill—the feeling of not being chained by burdens. He didn't want to be chained by the memories in his house... the house he shared with Keiko...

"Don't you like flying, Yusuke?"

Said detective looked over at the other. Kenkou was gleefully looking out the window as their plane taxied. Grinning, Yusuke leaned over to see out as well. "We aren't even off the ground yet."

"I know but I'm just excited!"

Yusuke chuckled and placed his chin in the palm of his hand, resting his elbow on the armrest. "In actuality, I've never flown in an airplane before."

"Really?"

"Yeah... Never had a reason to leave the country." The detective muttered, watching as the plane entered the runway.

"You sound like a felon. Here chew some gum." Kenkou ordered, holding up the fruity piece in front of the other's face.

"Why? My breath stink or something?" He shot back, taking the offered gum.

"No. It's just so your ears don't pop when we go up." Kenkou answered, popping a piece of gum into his own mouth.

"Oh... You've flown a lot huh?"

"Mhm! I just like to travel a lot." The doctor chirped, turning back to the window as they picked up speed. "Oh, oh! This is always my favorite part."

Yusuke leaned across him to see. The scenery flew by as they gained speed. Finally the airplane lifted off the ground slowly. The boy watched as everything gradually got smaller and smaller, farther and farther away. The world faded into tiny toy-like figures, still moving along in their continual monotonous life. Then his vision was purified with white clouds, the world disappearing, for forever it seemed to him.

"We're about to see the only thing on earth no one can buy or sell..." He heard Kenkou murmur next to his ear.

Their plane broke through the clouds and Yusuke's mouth went slack. So this is what is was like to fly, he thought vaguely. Their plane swam above an eternity of white ocean. Above them was an endless blue. Soon this sky would be eclipsed with the coming of sunset, something Yusuke also wanted to see very badly.

"The sky reminds me of the soul, you know... It's always so complex... and simple too. So many different things and colors all the time... even though you can't always see it."

"_The sky never looked so blue before._"

&&&

Kenkou skipped out into the crowded terminal and looked around. His small carry-on bag swung in his hand as he turned around to see everything. "Wow... It hasn't changed at all since I last came here..."

"You come to Beijing often?" Yusuke asked, walking up next to him and looking at the busy airport. He hadn't anything to bring with him so he was at a loss of what to do except wait for Kenkou to fetch his suitcases and show him the way out of here. There were way too many people speaking a language he couldn't understand.

"Yes. My friend lives in Huairou with his wife." Kenkou said offhandedly. He looked at the signs above them and walked off to get his luggage, beckoning Yusuke to follow. The detective did so obediently. He still couldn't believe he left Japan, and under such odd circumstances. It felt so surreal. He also couldn't believe this doctor didn't mind. He couldn't believe a lot of the things happening to him at the moment.

Kenkou watched the turning belt carrying the bags, huffing. "Infernal machine... I could make something much faster."

"So... Are you a genius?" Yusuke asked, watching a floral patterned case slide by.

"People have called me that."

"So is it true?"

"I don't think so." Kenkou said, grinning as his suitcases appeared. "I think I'm intellectually gifted, but I'm no genius."

"But if people say you are why not just say you are?" The detective asked, confused.

Shiozu pulled his large cases off with some effort and paused. "I like to see myself as I am, not as other people see me. That's all that matters you know? If you're glad with how you are then that's how you should stay. People's opinions of you only carry so far."

Yusuke nodded absently. "I guess... Do you want help with that?"

"Yes please." Together they both lifted the suitcases and walked awkwardly towards the car rental desk. "Do you know Chinese?"

"Yes of course. Why?"

Yusuke laughed a bit. "I was just thinking if you didn't we were screwed here."

"I guess. Not entirely if they speak English here, which they do." Kenkou said happily, looking around.

"...How many languages can you speak then? Japanese and Chinese..."

"English, Spanish, French, Italian, German, and I know a bit of Norwegian." The scientist finished, tapping his foot impatiently.

"..."

Seeing the other's dumbfounded look, he smiled shyly. "Well the European languages are all related so they're easy to learn if you learn one..." The look on the other's face remained. "Are you alright?"

"You say you're _intellectually gifted_..." Yusuke muttered in amusement, looking away at the bustling crowd. He could barely learn English and this guy knew eight different languages. Kenkou was too humble to see he was so brilliant. If Yusuke were that smart he'd spray paint it on his lawn. Yusuke shoved his hands in his pockets and sighed. Why was Kenkou wasting his time on a loser like him?

"Got the car! Let's get going to Huairou!" Kenkou chirped next to him, startling him from his thoughts.

"How far is this place?" The detective asked, once again helping the other carry the bags.

"Fifty kilometers from here."

"I thought you said we had an hour or more drive." Yusuke said slowly as they entered the parking lot.

"We actually only have to drive a half hour to Huairou, but we're buying you some clothes."

"W-Wait! You don't have to buy me-"

"Yes we do. You need more outfits." Kenkou snapped. "You can't go around in only the outfit I gave you."

"But I..."

"No buts." The doctor ordered, walking the rest of the way to their car and leaving a fuming detective behind him. That guy was more stubborn that Hiei in a bad mood, Yusuke thought angrily. Why did he even think that this could be fun? Someone he just met was ordering him around!

Kenkou walked around it and put his large suitcases into the trunk, slamming the lid closed and going to the driver's side door. He noticed Yusuke hadn't moved to get in the car. He only sat there and silently glared at him. The doctor sighed and smiled back at the other, shaking his head. "I'll give you money for a ticket home, if that's what you want."

Yusuke jumped and stared at him in shock, watching the other approach him, digging in his pocket for his wallet. "I..."

"There's a flight to Tokyo in the next half hour I think. You can probably catch that."

_"I felt horrible... I never really felt that much guilt in my life before then. I mean he spent a lot of his time, money, and energy on me, and here I hated him for it. I just didn't have the right to do that."_

"No." Yusuke said softly, holding up a hand to stop the other from getting out his wallet. "I'm sorry it's just... I'm sorry."

"It's alright. I understand."

"_The way he smiled at me and walked away to his car, telling me he understood... It made me feel like perhaps he really did understand what I was trying to say even though I didn't."_

&&&

"These outfits will look so good on you, Yusuke!" Kenkou chirped, walking up the sidewalk next to the spirit detective. They both had several shopping bags in their arms, filled with jeans, t-shirts, and a classic Chinese outfit which Kenkou insisted Yusuke buy. A _souvenir _the doctor had said, also buying one for himself as well.

"Yeah... I still think you should have let me pay for one at least." Yusuke said, looking around at the bustling streets. They had parked their car a while ago and walked along the street of shops. China was very crowded and busy. Yusuke felt claustrophobic around all these people. They all seemed to be in a hurry too.

"Hey! Lookie! I didn't realize how far into Beijing we drove!" Kenkou cried suddenly as they came upon a grand palace. It was a bright red and golden yellow and absolutely _huge_. Yusuke stared in wonder as Kenkou continued talking. "The Forbidden City. The world's largest palace complex with 9,999 buildings enclosed in its ten meter high wall and six meter deep moat..."

Yusuke raised an eyebrow. "Are you a walking encyclopedia?"

Kenkou's face reddened and he rubbed the back of his head in embarrassment. "I've taken the tour about eleven times..." The detective stared at the other in shock, but the other didn't notice and added, sounding extremely disappointed, "Too bad we don't have time to tour it now..."

"Wouldn't it be boring for you? You've seen it already." Yusuke asked, as they started walking south and away from the large landmark.

"It never gets boring!" Kenkou exclaimed as if the idea was ridiculous. "It's such a historic landmark! Like this one we're on right now!"

Yusuke stopped and looked around. They were in a public square. Many people, mostly tourists, were standing around posing for pictures or looking at a big pillar in the middle of the square. It didn't look that important. "And where are we right now?"

Kenkou frowned at the boy and placed his hands on his hips in frustration. "Didn't you ever pay attention in school?"

"The ten percent of the year I was there I was sleeping." Yusuke replied dryly.

The scientist blinked before he shook his head and placed a hand to his temple. "This is Tiananmen Square..."

"..."

"Fine." Kenkou said. "You can buy me lunch and I'll explain it to you."

&&&

Yusuke watched the scenery fly by as they drove away from Beijing. Over the lunch Yusuke had bought Kenkou told him about what had happened at Tiananmen Square. There had been a huge riot in the square during the late 80s. About 100,000 students and workers marched on the square, demanding democracy. It was a peaceful protest, Kenkou said, but it ended violently. The communist leaders sent troops and tanks to stop the protesters. Many people died.

"That's sick." Yusuke commented, sipping his drink. "They were defenseless."

"But think about it." Kenkou said in return, popping some more teriyaki chicken into his mouth.

"What's there to think about?" Yusuke snapped.

"It was horrible but very moving. Those people died for what they believed in. One boy even stood in front of a line of tanks. He knew he would probably be killed but he did it anyway. I don't know if I could do that..."

Yusuke sighed and leaned his head against the window, closing his eyes. He was feeling really tired. He had goofed off all day around China. It had been fun, he admitted. Kenkou always kept his mind off other things. Now he was moving again—to a place called Huairou. Kenkou explained it was a great place to relax. It was in the middle of mountains and forests and wasn't very crowded, except in some parts because of tourists. Already they had entered the forest.

"Don't fall asleep yet, Yusuke. We're almost there." The doctor said, poking the other in the side.

"I'm not sleeping." The teen snapped, blinking his eyes open. "How much longer?"

"Any minute now." Kenkou replied cheerfully.

They continued driving and Yusuke watched the scenery change from forest to sparse houses. They were mostly farms from what he could tell. They drove for several more minutes before Kenkou pulled up to a farm and into the driveway. It was larger than the rest, Yusuke noted in his sleepy mind.

"We're here." Shiozu said, leaning against the steering wheel. "Finally... Four hours on a plane, another in Beijing, and then the drive here... I'm ready to sleep."

"You and me both." Yusuke muttered, rubbing his eyes. They both climbed out of the car and Kenkou grabbed his suitcases, draggingthem to the door, while Yusuke grabbed the bags from the shopping trip. Just as they were ascending the steps to the front door it flew open. Both males blinked in confusion at the other man in the doorway.

He had shaggy bright purple hair that was slightly messy, as if he had just woken up. He stared down at them with happy brown eyes behind wire-rim glasses that were so similar to Kenkou's that Yusuke couldn't help but wonder if they were related. His jeans and ratty t-shirt were splattered with a rainbow of paint colors. He looked very young, about twenty. Maybe Kenkou's brother...? He smiled warmly and stepped out on to the porch. "Kenkou..."

"Kodoku!" The doctor cried, leaping up and drawing the young man into a bone-crushing hug. "It's so good to see you!" He held the other out and looked him up and down before hugging him again. Kodoku hugged back with the same ferocity and Yusuke shifted from one foot to the other, awkward. He felt like he was watching a family reunion, which was entirely possible. But Kenkou had said these people were friends...He was confused.

"Kenkou..." A soft voice said from the doorway. "You came."

Kenkou stepped away from Kodoku and smiled at the woman who appeared in the doorway. She was also young looking, with childlike features and short stature. She had long black hair and shining coffee-colored eyes. Her thin arms cradled her large stomach. She was pregnant.

"You look even more lovely than last time, Aya." Kenkou said, taking her delicate hands and kissing her forehead. "How are you feeling?"

"Tired but so happy." She said in the same quiet voice, smiling up at him before turning to Yusuke. "You didn't tell us you were bringing a friend. I'll have to set up another guest room..."

"No. Let me, Aya." Kodoku said, touching her arm. "You take them to the kitchen and rest, alright?" At her nod he gave her a small peck on the lips and left.

Aya smiled and looked at Yusuke. "Please do come in."

Yusuke followed Aya and Kenkou into the house, still feeling out of place. He looked around the house. It was beautifully decorated. All over the walls were paintings. Portraits, landscapes, scenes...everything. The detective stopped to admire them for a moment before continuing to the kitchen, where Kenkou was making tea. Aya sat in one of the kitchen chairs, flashing another gorgeous smile at Yusuke as he entered.

"I'm Aya Akio."

"I'm Yusuke Urameshi." The teen said slowly, sitting down.

"So you are Kenkou's friend?" She asked, lacing her fingers on the tabletop.

"Yeah..." Yusuke said, smiling.

Her smile widened. "You are more than welcome to stay, Yusuke."

"Thanks. I was worried I was going to be in the way."

"Not at all. You're no more in the way than Kenkou is."

"Was that an insult?" Kenkou asked, pouting.

"Maybe." Yusuke laughed as Kenkou stuck out his tongue at Aya childishly before returning to making tea. She giggled behind her hand and looked at Yusuke again. "So what caused you to come with Kenkou?"

Yusuke bit his lip and looked down at the tabletop. "I needed to... work out some things."

"Oh..." She said softly. They both sat there, the awkward tension returning, only to be broken by Kenkou setting the teapot on the table.

"Tea time!"

"Thanks, Kenkou." Kodoku said, walking in the room.

"Kodoku, this is Kenkou's friend, Yusuke Urameshi. Yusuke, this is my husband, Kodoku." Aya said, picking up her tea and sipping it.

Kodoku pushed his glasses up where they were sliding down his nose and smiled. "Hello, Yusuke. We're glad to have you here."

"Thanks." Yusuke muttered.

"You look tired, Yusuke." Aya said, standing. "Let me show you to your room."

"Alright... Thank you."

Yusuke followed Aya out of the kitchen, leaving Kodoku and Kenkou chatting happily. "Kodoku is so glad that Kenkou came so quickly." The girl said conversationally. "Normally he's so busy with research."

"I can guess what you mean. I've seen his room." Yusuke joked.

"Is it still a mess?" She asked.

"Trashed."

"I'll have to tell him to clean it up." She said with a sigh. "He's like a child sometimes."

"I noticed."

"Here you are. I hope you're comfortable."

Yusuke walked into the room and set his bags down. The room had a wooden dresser and bedside table, a lamp resting on it. There was a queen-sized bed next to the table and some double sliding doors, which Yusuke could only guess, led to the closet. There was also another door in the corner of the room. Yusuke sat on the bed and smiled at her. "It's great."

Aya pointed to the door in the corner. "That's your bathroom. Feel free to wash up if you need to. Is there anything you need?"

"No. I'm fine."

Aya smiled and clasped her hands in front of her. "Good night, Yusuke. Pleasant dreams."

"Good night." Yusuke said as she left the room, closing the door behind her. He flopped backwards onto the bed and sighed. So much had happened. Too much. He needed to slow down. He needed to sleep, he thought, his heavy eyelids sliding shut.

A few minutes later he was lulled asleep by the quiet sound of talking, the clinking of teacups, and Aya's tinkling laughter.

&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&

P.A.: Done! Finally! I hope you guys like it. Next chapter will be a continuation of Yusuke's trip to China. Isn't Kenkou way smart? R&R please.


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